Rajshahi Division with an area of 34513 sq km, is bounded by west bengal of India on the north, khulna and dhaka divisions on the south, Assam and Meghalaya state of India and Dhaka division on the east and West Bengal of India on the west. Main rivers are Padma (ganges), brahmaputra, jamuna, ghaghat, karatoya, atrai, punarbhaba, mahananda, tista and dharla. Parts of naogaon, rajshahi, bogra, joypurhat, gaibandha, rangpur and dinajpur are composed of barind tracts. chalan beel, largest in Bangladesh, is located in this division.

Rajshahi (Town) stands on the bank of the river Padma. The area of the Rajshahi town is 96.69 sq km. It consists of four thanas, 39 wards and 169 mahalla. The town has a population of 646716; male 52.42%, female 47.58%. Density of population is 6689 per sq km (Population Census 2001, Preliminary Report). Rajshahi was flourished in the seventeenth century. The tomb of Hazrat Shah Makhdum (established in 1634) is located at Dargahpara of the town. Many European traders were attracted to this town because of its being a centre of silk production and location by the side of the river Padma; subsequently the Dutch, the French and the English east india company established business houses in the town in phases. Because of flourishing silk industry Rajshahi is also called the City of Silk.

Administration Rajshahi division consists of one city corporation, 16 districts, 4 thanas, 57 municipalities, 543 wards, 123 upazilas, 4 thanas, 33 enclaves and 23475 villages. The districts are Rajshahi, Naogaon, Natore, Nawabganj, Pabna, Sirajganj, Bogra, Joypurhat, Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh, Rangpur, Nilphamari, Kurigram, Gaibandha and Lalmonirhat.

Population 29992955; male 50.80%, female 49.20%; Muslim 86.84%; Hindu 11.09%, Christian 1.17%, Buddhist 0.23% and others 0.67%.

Religious institutions Mosque 44124, temple 3984, church 207 tomb 769 and sacred place 43.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 32.4%; male 38.9% and female 25.5% (Statistical pocketbook 2000). Educational institutions: university 1, medical college 4, engineering college 2, government college 64, non-government college 604, law college 5, teachers' training college 14, agriculture college 1, homeopath college 9, police academy 1, cadet college 4, madrasa 3527, government high school 72, non-government high school 3297, junior high school 427, government primary school 8499, non-government primary school 6062, community school 85, kindergarten 84, satellite school 228, vocational training institute 7, music school 9, science and technology university 1, polytechnic institute 6.

Main occupations Agriculture 40.99%, agricultural labourer 22.9%, wage labourer 3.24%, fishing 1.32%, weaving 2.85%, industry 1.77%, commerce 9.61%, service 4.74%, transport 2.68% and others 9.9%.

Main crops Paddy, wheat, jute, sugarcane, oil seed, onion, garlic, potato, betel leaf and mulberry plant.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, banana, litchi, black berry, coconut and papaya.

Health centres Government hospital 17, private hospital and clinic 83, upazila health complex 114, child welfare and maternity centre 25, family planning and union health centre 675, satellite clinic 244, veterinary hospital 11, diabetic hospital 10, chest diseases hospital 1, police hospital 7, railway hospital 5, TB hospital 9, community clinic 10, eye hospital 7, mental hospital 1, mission hospital 4 and nursing institute 37. [Sajahan Miah]